Three New Exhibitions for Pori’s Museum Summer
The summer season in Pori’s museums kicks off with three exciting new exhibitions. On Friday, 16 May 2025, new exhibitions will open at the Arkki Natural History Museum, the Toivo Building Heritage Centre, and the Satakunta Museum. These exhibitions offer diverse insights into the cultural history of Satakunta and plenty to discover throughout the summer.
From Moose to Myth – Exploring the Satakunta Nature Connection
16 May 2025–1 March 2026, The Ark Nature Centre
New exhibition From Moose to Myth introduces visitors to the unique relationship the people of Satakunta have had with nature. It explores the symbolic roles of animals and folk beliefs – from the revered bear and wolf to the snake’s role as a protector and the mystical world of forest spirits, not to forget moose and trolls. The exhibition features artifacts and archive material from the collections of the Satakunta Museum, along with captivating stories that bring the past worldview closer to today’s visitor. The exhibition is crowned by paintings from nature journalist and visual artist Minna Pyykkö, offering her interpretation of the animal characters and the human-nature relationship. What was the connection between people of Satakunta and nature before industrialization and intensive agriculture?
Wallpaper, Pastries and Coffee – 30 Years of Toivo!
16.5.-28.9.2025, Building Preservation Centre Toivo
The Toivo Building Preservation Centre celebrates its 30th anniversary with an exhibition telling the story of the site and its role in preserving wooden house heritage. Wallpaper, Pastries and Coffee – 30 Years of Toivo! leads visitors through the history of the buildings and the plot from the 19th century to the present day. The exhibition highlights role of Toivo as an expert hub for traditional building materials, restoration, cultural heritage preservation, and as a vibrant community event venue. It also reflects on the past and looks ahead to the future of architectural conservation.
In the courtyard row, the WoodiSH project by the University of Turku landscape studies program presents a complementary exhibition, sharing the stories, values, and circular economy practices of residents in Pori Viikkari wooden house district – with additional perspectives from other wooden house neighborhoods across Northern Europe.
News from Pori – early newspaper photos from the Satakunta Kansa website
16.5.-28.9.2025, Satakunta Museum courtyard, Museokuja (free admission)
The outdoor exhibition News from Pori showcases some of the earliest local news photographs from the 1930s to the 1950s. The exhibition features images captured by Satakunnan Kansa’s first photojournalists, including Henrik Seppänen and Sven Raid, taken on the streets, squares, and at events in Pori. These photos offer a unique glimpse into daily life in Pori decades ago, and reveal the kinds of stories the newspaper aimed to highlight in the early years of local photojournalism. The exhibition is based on the collaboration between the Satakunta Museum and Satakunnan Kansa, and the extensive digitization project carried out from 2018 to 2020.
– It’s a great pleasure to launch the museum summer season with such a diverse range of exhibitions, all rooted in the expertise of Pori’s museum professionals. This not only highlights our staff’s capabilities but also reflects the richness and value of the material we have to offer our visitors, says Timo Nordlund, Intendant of the Satakunta Museum.
